UDJ 7-11 Column
From CFI
Here Come the Vegetables
Cheers, cold juice and fresh veggies to the many amazing people pitching in to keep Ukiah (and the rest of California) safe. Such trying times focus us on what matters. For many that list would include our family and friends, the natural beauty of the place we live, our support networks and community connections, our health and the simple sources of pleasure, like sharing good food.
The farmer’s market is your one stop shop for most of those good things. Thanks to many of you the Ukiah Saturday Farmer’s Market is still going strong. Indeed, just like local produce, we are heading into our peak season. The market will be changing and growing each week. If you miss it, you are missing something special.
For starters, tomorrow’s market is busting with the following flavorful events.
• Live market café music by "Two Notes Samba," a jazz duo featuring Craig Schlatter on piano and Will Siegel on Guitar/Vocals. The duo plays an assortment of jazz standards, samba, lounge, and blues, with occasional vocal solos from Will.
• Chef Demonstration: vegetable curry and working with spices by Makar Rai of the Himalayan Café. 10 AM. The Himalayan Café is also offering hot food every Saturday under the pavilion.
• Bamboo Workshop: Linda Cushman shares information about selecting the right bamboo plant for your location. Attendees will receive a 10% discount on her bamboo plants in July. 9:30 and 11:30 AM.
• Bike Repair Training: Frank McCraw of Peoples’ Bike Repair (http://peoplesbike.blogspot.com) will be providing a clinic on bike repair/maintenance.
• Meet the Ukiah Main Street Program: Every wonder what the Ukiah Main Street Program is all about? Meet members of the Board of the Main Street Program and find out.
• Reintroducing Liv Fashion Boutique & Tierra-Art, Garden, Wine. These downtown stores had such a great time meeting the market crowd (that’s you) last month they asked to come back.
As for changes, here is a sample of recent developments. Signaling the end of starter plants at the market (for this season) Blue Sky Nursery of Redwood Valley has left the market. Market vendor Phil Cool may still be offering a few starters if you hurry. Likewise, the season is turning past our local berries. We bade farewell to Allterra Organic’s great local blueberries last Saturday. But, berry specialists Grilli’s Acre should be at the market for another week or two. This might be a good time to pack the freezer with berries.
Meanwhile the local vegetable season is heading into its prime. The vegetables stacks are getting more impressive every week on the tables of our larger vendors such as the Ortiz Brothers, Sky Hoyt and Covelo Organics. This week we expect to welcome two new produce growers: Jake and the Bean Stock, a Willits farm, and Ukiah’s own Richard Johnson. Favorite Cinnamon Bear Farms will also return with great summer squash and other treats. Tomorrow promises the best selection of the season so far.
Market high five to First 5 for its SPARK (Sports Play and Active Recreation for Kids) area for younger kids and to Benj Thomas for providing a reading for children at last Saturday’s market. Even without publicity those events were well attended and fun was had.
Also on the community front, thanks to the persistent effort of Dayle Reed, and with assistance from Creekside Farm’s Gordon Brown, last Saturday we trialed picking up donations of unsold produce for the Ukiah Community Center Food Bank. The market’s little red wagon was put to good use and I understand that our generous vendors filled five crates with donated produce. Have garden excess or other food that the food bank could use? Consider bringing it to the market at the end of the day to contribute.
Oh yes, our first commercial is ready. You can see it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBd0FCfjCV8 By the time your read this, it should already be on the air in Sonoma County. Let me know if you would like to sponsor some additional runs.
Certified farmer’s markets are in Ukiah from 8:30 AM to noon Saturday and 3-6 PM Tuesday on School Street starting at Clay Street and in Alex Thomas Plaza and in Redwood Valley on Sunday from 9:30-1PM at 8920 East Road in Lion’s Park.. To learn more about our Mendocino County Farmer’s Markets, go to http://mcfarm.org/.
